Let me start this review by getting a few things clear: I am not, or was not anyway, what I would consider a true audiophile. I also am not (or was not) much of a headphone user. All this changed when I got the chance to spend a couple months with the Sennheiser HD 238 Stereo Headphones. Have you ever had a toy or product that just made you giddy every time you got to use it, and you ended up loosing track of time because it was so enjoyable? The HD 238s have been that for me.

Not a true audiophile? Well, of course I am way more into and appreciative of fine audio equipment and high fidelity sound than most people, but so is just about everyone who is reading this right now. But I’m not one to coat the edges of the discs in my audio collection with green paint, if you get my drift. And when it comes to headphones, I think I’m more like non-hi-fi enthusiasts out there: I mainly use headphones for things like working out, traveling on airplanes or trains, and basically any time I want portable audio. As such, I’ve been a long time user of ear-bud headphones. A few years ago, I upgraded from standard ear-buds to a “nice” sound-isolating pair from Sony. I thought I had found the perfect set for me: tiny, comfortable, and they rejected enough sound that I could use them as earplugs when I slept on a plane. In contrast, the HD-238’s are what are known as “on-ear” headphones, and while certainly not huge, and easily carried in a back-pack or purse, they are not tiny enough to fit in your pocket with your iPod Shuffle.